5 areas 49ers need to improve to get first victory

The 49ers have plenty to work on early in their first season of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era. The roster, one of the most bereft of elite talent in the NFL, is still figuring things out amid an 0-3 start.

We broke down five bright spots for San Francisco in the early going of their rebuilding project. Now we’ll take a look at areas Shanahan’s team has to improve for the 49ers to evolve into a consistent winner.

Passing offense

Brian Hoyer would have been given more than $12 million over two seasons if San Francisco expected him to carry the team to the playoffs. The realistic expectation for the veteran quarterback was to bridge the gap to a long-term solution under center by capably running Shanahan’s complex scheme in the meantime.

(Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Hoyer entered Sunday with a 74.6 passer rating, his worst since 2014 with the Cleveland Browns. He struggled in the first two games against the Panthers and Seahawks before finding a groove Thursday against the Rams, when he logged his 10th-career 300-yard game.

The 49ers wound up scoring five touchdowns against the Rams, including three from Hoyer (one rushing, two passing). The 49ers hope that performance kickstarts a passing attack that’s averaging just 187 yards.

The struggles in the passing game aren’t only on Hoyer. Carlos Hyde is the team’s second leading pass catcher. San Francisco needs receivers Marquise Goodwin, Trent Taylor and Aldrick Robinson, and tight end George Kittle, to improve their play to prevent defenses from focusing on Pierre Garçon.

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